This guide will accurately show you how to use a mushroom spawn bag. The guide will provide some more advanced tips to help you best grow mushrooms using a grow bag with many types of mushroom strains and conditions.
Before we move forward, it’s safe to assume you have prepared your mushroom substrate and mushroom spore syringe. If you are new to these concepts, read our guide on mushroom growing at home for a more beginner-focused guide.
Introduction to the Mushroom Grow Bag
Components of the mushroom spawn bag
Each bag has a self-healing injector site, which closes after you pull the needle out.
The white square filter patch located towards the top of the bag allows proper gas exchange but will keep contaminates out.
Sterilization tips for mushroom spawn bags
It is essential to ensure that all spore injecting activities are done in the cleanest environment possible.
Sterilized conditions ensure mold does not form inside your growing substrate, which can ruin your work.
2. Pull the syringe needle cover off of the syringe.
3. Push the needle about 1/2 inch into the bag and inject about 1-2 cc’s of spores. Pull the needle halfway out, angle it in a different direction, and inject another 1-2 cc’s of spores. Use a total of 3-5 cc’s of spores per spawn bag.
4. Make sure you inject in multiple locations to help spread your spore solution.
5. Unroll the spawn bag and make sure the filter patch is upright. Slowly pull the two sides apart and be careful not to touch the white filter. The goal is to provide a channel or path from the grain to the filter.
Part 2: Colonization of the Mushroom Spawn Bag
1. Place your spawn bags in a warm, dark location (75-81 degrees) and leave to incubate. Unlike jars, Spawn bags colonize from the inside out, so you most likely won’t see any mycelium growth for 7-14 days.
(Optional) Between 14-17 days, you can break up the bags with your fingers to spread the mycelium. After spreading the white mycelium, gently re-pack the grain to its original shape. This step is optional as you must be careful not to break them up too much and destroy the mycelium network. We only suggest this step when you have very slow-growing bags. This method works best on the Rye bags.
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2. Complete colonization may take 30-45 days, depending on the species and the temperature you incubate. Unlike jars, the speed at that spawn bags germinate and colonize may have much more significant variance. The photo below is a spawn bag full of colonized and ready to move to the next step!
Part 3: Fruiting Your Spawn Bags
There are three different ways to fruit spawn bags. The most popular and recommended way is the bulk casing method:The yield is four to five times more than the other fruiting methods. Your second-best option for fruiting would be to use a fruiting chamber with perlite like you would substrate jars (See BRF Jars / PF Tek Guide here). The last option is to fruit directly in the bag.
Fruiting using the Bulk Casing Method
This method involves simply breaking up the fully colonized spawn bag into small pieces and mixing it with more mushroom growing substrate in a tub or container. The contents of the mushroom grow bag and new uncolonized substrate re-colonize and form one big fruiting cake.
In order to mix the contents of your spawn bag into more substrate, you will need more of the same substrate you have inside your spawn bag. This means you can buy another spawn bag of the same type, or you can buy a more bulk amount of the same material. This is easy to do if your substrate is a manure mix, straw, or sawdust.
It will take some time for the substrate from the spawn bag to recolonize the uncolonized substrate, about a week or two. But once it does, the fruiting result will be strong and worth it.
This method provides five times the surface area, resulting in a much larger yield. The bulk Casing Method has become the most popular method for first-time spawn bag growers.
Fruiting in a Humidity Chamber
The second most popular way to fruit your spawn bags would be to use a container with dampened perlite (white volcanic rock).
In this method, substrate jars are used. You will need vermiculite in this method to provide moisture to the cake and keep it hydrated.
Start by removing the colonized grain from the bag. Dunking in water is not recommended with the spawn bags because they will not absorb water directly into the grain. Hence, the need for vermiculite.
Place a piece of foil on top of the perlite. The foil should be about one inch larger than the cake on all sides.
Place a 1cm layer of vermiculite on the foil. Use a spray bottle and moisten the vermiculite enough, so it’s saturated, but there should be no standing water.
Place the spawn cake on the vermiculite and add another 1cm layer of vermiculite. Spray the top layer with water to dampen. You will need to keep the vermiculite damp by misting daily.
It can take a few weeks for mushrooms to form. There are typically no set flushes for this growing style; the mushrooms will grow sporadically for the following weeks.
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Fruiting in the Bag
The last method is fruiting directly in the bag. This method is the easiest but typically yields the least. You will need vermiculite for this method to keep the grains hydrated.
Cut the top of the bag off. Cut above the white filter patch.
Remove the spawn cake. Add a 1cm layer of vermiculite to the bottom of the bag, then use a spray bottle to moisten it enough, so it’s saturated, but you don’t want any standing water. Use spring or bottled water.
Put the spawn cake back in the bag and add another 1cm layer of vermiculite on top of the spawn cake. Spray with water like you did the first layer.
Fold the top of the bag over and use a binder or paper clip to keep it closed.
Open the bag twice daily for a few minutes to allow fresh air to exchange. Mist the vermiculite as needed to ensure it stays hydrated.
It can take a few weeks for mushrooms to form. There are typically no set flushes for this growing style; the mushrooms will grow sporadically for the following weeks.
Congratulations, you’ve completed the steps to use a mushroom grow spawn bag!
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While this can be good, airflow is also important and small enclosed spaces can cause your mushrooms to suffer from lack of oxygen. We recommend placing your grow kit on your kitchen bench, out of direct sunlight.
Yes, you can grow mushrooms indoors using a grow bag. Grow bags provide a suitable environment for mushroom cultivation by maintaining ideal humidity levels and allowing proper air circulation. They're designed with a sterile substrate that's enriched with essential nutrients for the mushrooms to thrive.
not see any progress right away but within 5-8 days you should see new growth all over the bag. This will continue until the bag is 100% colonized! ⇒ Complete colonization may take 30-45 days depending on the species and what temperature you incubate at.
You can shake up your mushroom spawn bag when the mycelium has colonized about 40–50 percent of the spawn grain. As mentioned previously, this gives access to non-colonized patches of mycelium. You'll be surprised by how much this simple 30-second action can help your yield.
Break up the spawn bag when the mycelium has fully colonized the substrate, typically after 2-4 weeks of inoculation. Ensure sterility throughout the process to prevent contamination and promote healthy mycelium growth.
⇒ Place your spawn bags in a warm, dark location (74-77 degrees optimally) and leave to incubate. Unlike jars, Spawn bags colonize from the inside out so you will most likely won't see any mycelium growth for 7-14 days.
Unlike plants, mushrooms don't use light as an energy source to grow, but they do need some light to grow properly. Indirect light from a window or artificial lighting can be used. If you use artificial lighting we recommend it be on for 12 hours a day, and a digital timer can assist in automating this process.
The filter allows for the mushroom cultures inside the bag to receive fresh air without passing contaminants like mold spores and bacteria. Without fresh air, the mushroom culture would eventually stop growing, but if the bag were just left open after sterilization, contaminates would quickly take over.
What are the Disadvantages of Using Grow Bags? They can dry out quickly, especially in hot weather, requiring more frequent watering. They may not be suitable for plants that require deep soil. Growbags can be easily punctured or torn, which can cause soil to spill out.
Hardwoods such as oak, beech and maple make for a great substrate for many types of mushrooms, especially when combined with a bran supplement. Soy hulls can be mixed with hardwood sawdust at different ratios to produce extremely effective and high yielding substrates, particularly for growing oysters.
A substrate jar is generally more compact. As such, it's easier to store than your spawn bag, which may take up more room. Additionally, it's glass, so it's not like you can rip or tear it. In this way, it has more longevity than your standard grow bag.
When we say "fully colonized", it doesn't necessarily mean that every single inch of the grow bag is full of mycelium. It's fine to fruit the bag when it's 80-90% covered in white. It's common for the bottom of the bag colonize last.
You don't need to water mushrooms like a plant. You don't need to water mushrooms like a plant. The spray bottle is for creating humidity. Humidity is a key factor for successful mushroom growth.
Grain spawn will store for three months in a refrigerator. The fresher the better, but mycelium is pretty resilient. If you don't get around to inoculating right away, tuck it away in your refrigerator until you're ready.
Alternating between the spawn and substrate allows for faster colonization than putting all the spawn on top. In supplemented sawdust this typically means shaking the substrate after inoculation to distribute the spawn evenly.
Once your grain is between 50-80% colonized (white) break up the colonized grain thoroughly, and begin mixing into the substrate layer. It may help to lay the bag flat on its side and roll the material to mix.
When To Open. A grow kit generally requires two to three weeks from its production date to colonize fully. Once the mushrooms fruit, tiny mushroom pins begin forming. Opening the bag then not only offers you substantial airflow but also gives the mushrooms room to grow.
⇒ Typically most people have always colonized spawn bags in the dark like the jars. Recent testing and research has shown that light doesn't have any effect on colonizing. Since premature pinning before 100% colonization doesn't happen with spawn bags, do whatever is convenient for your setup.
Grow bags can be used in existing raised garden beds, too. Just put them directly on the soil, fill and plant them as usual. To create a raised garden bed out of grow bags, you can place them on the ground.
Both varieties should be stored at room temperature until ready to use. Grain Spawn should arrive double bagged. Remove the outer bag upon receiving. Keep spawn at room temperature if you will be using it in the next few days.
Place your grow kit in your kitchen, out of direct sunlight. This will allow you to check on them and remember to mist your grow kit regularly to keep humidity high. Don't place your grow kit where it is breezy as wind will dry it out. Don't place your grow kit in an enclosed space, mushrooms need good ventilation.
Picture your refrigerator as a little spa for these spores – it's cool, dark, and cozy. Slide those precious spore syringes into a clean ziplock bag and gently tuck them onto a fridge shelf. They'll stay happy there at an ideal temperature between 32°F to 46°F.
Introduction: My name is Carlyn Walter, I am a lively, glamorous, healthy, clean, powerful, calm, combative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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